Tossing Out the Pacifiers
Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 300
Parents and retailers have been urged to throw out any “My Baby Soother” pacifiers. These pacifiers are deemed by the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) to be unsafe according to federal standards.
While the need to recall pacifiers is not unusual, the CPSC has needed to notify the public through the government as the distributing company of the “My Baby Soother” brand, (T & L Trading Corp of Brooklyn N.Y.), has refused to recall the product themselves.
It is estimated that around 16,500 of the pacifiers have been sold from August 2007 through July 2009. The “My Baby Soother” pacifiers were sold for around $1 each at delis, discount stores and groceries in Coney Island, Bronx, Brooklyn and Broadway.
Because T & L Trading have refused to recall the pacifiers themselves, it seems unlikely that there will be any compensation for consumers. Instead they are simply being told to throw the product away. Retailers and distributors who purchased these pacifiers are being asked to remove them from the shelves and contact CPSC.
According to the CPSC the pacifiers present a choking hazard as the nipple can come away from the base easily. The pacifiers are easily identifiable from the brand name “My Baby Soother”, and the packaging has a picture of an infant in the background. The pacifiers have a ring shaped handle and a heart shaped guard with two ventilation holes. They come in pink, blue, red, white or yellow. The nipples are made either of silicone or latex.
There have been several instances of pacifiers being recalled in the last year. Included among these were: Jaloma pacifiers (Gromex Inc. of Passaic N.J) recalled July 2009, Zoo pacifiers (Healthtex of Miami Fla) recalled April 2009, Baby Necessities pacifiers (OKK Trading of Los Angeles Calif) recalled March 2009. All of these products were deemed unsafe due to the nipple separating easily from the base. An interesting recall of pacifiers was made in July 2007 where rather than the nipple, Swarovski crystals were deemed a choking hazard. The crystals had been glued onto the handle and guards of the pacifiers as decoration. While no injuries or incidents were reported the retailers (Dara Linda's Baby Bling and Jewelry Design, of Davie, Fla.; Bling Toes, of Cherry Valley, Ill.; Baby Bling Things, of Appleton, Wis.; PeaNaPod Bling and Accessories, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; and MJM Crystal Designs, of Boca Raton, Fla.) co-operated in their recall, as did the companies of the other mentioned pacifiers.
Whether a pacifier is recalled or not parents are advised to make standard checks on any pacifiers. The pacifiers should be checked daily for any sign of the nipple coming away from the base, or any tears in the nipple. A pacifier must have adequate ventilation holes to stop any possibility of asphyxiation. Parents are also advised never to tie anything to the pacifier as this can present a strangulation risk. While not a safety issue many paediatricians also recommend choosing silicone as many children can develop an allergy to latex.
Parents can also keep an eye on any other products that may be recalled. It is easy to visit the CPSC website and sign up for e-mail notifications of any products that may have been recalled.